Naxal attack: 12 CRPF jawans killed, 2 injured in Chhattisgarh
The platoon of 112 men was out on an ROP when a group of Naxals opened fire at them in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district
New Delhi/Dantewada: Twelve jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of the 219 battalion were killed and two critically injured in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district after a group of the Naxals’ armed militia ambushed a road opening party (ROP) in the area’s Bheji village at 9:10am on Saturday.
“The platoon of 112 men was out on an ROP when a group of Naxals opened fire at them. The men tried to take cover behind boulders and rocks, but the entire area was lined with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) or pressure landmines and those exploded," said a senior CRPF officer stationed in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh.
A CRPF spokesperson informed Mint that the injured jawans had been airlifted to the state’s capital, Raipur, while reinforcements of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) had reached the encounter site. The Naxals also snatched away 10 weapons and two VHF (very high frequency) sets of the jawans.
“There is very little connectivity in the area as it is in the interiors. Communication is intermittent. The ROP was being conducted to provide security to the road construction projects in the area, when the surprise ambush happened," said the CRPF officer from Dantewada.
Speaking to Mint, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh’s office condemned the attack and added that Union home minister Rajnath Singh would also be visiting the area soon to assess the extent of damage.
“According to information, 12 CRPF men have lost their lives and the injured are being treated in the CRPF field surgical unit. Our full support is with the forces at this time," Raman Singh said, in Raipur.
Last month, two Special Task Force (STF) personnel, including an assistant platoon commander, were killed in an encounter with the Naxals in the Kondagaon district of Chhattisgarh.
However, this is the second biggest attack on the CRPF, after last year March, when a vehicle carrying officers of the CRPF hit a pressure landmine in Dantewada district, killing seven jawans
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